Cost of Living Comparison Between Lihue, HI and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Lihue, HI and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,241 in Lihue, HI versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,613 in Lihue, HI versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,984 in Lihue, HI versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Lihue, HI is roughly 156% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lihue, HI is 135% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.50 $25.50

$4.66 ฿154

447.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 $111

$32.22 ฿1,065

243.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.35 $13.35

$8.68 ฿287

53.80%

Cappuccino

$6.20 $6.20

$2.90 ฿95.8

113.79%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 $3.74

$0.84 ฿27.89

345.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.49 ฿16.16

404.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.82 $6.82

$2.48 ฿82.0

175.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$3.73 ฿123

110.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.89 ฿62.3

-1.06%

White Bread (500g)

$6.64 $6.64

$1.41 ฿46.54

370.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.62 ฿53.6

82.10%

Eggs

$10.19 $10.19

$2.24 ฿74.1

354.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.60 $15.60

$19.84 ฿656

-21.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.71 $15.71

$3.48 ฿115

351.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.08 $20.08

$11.37 ฿376

76.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$2.90 ฿95.8

67.24%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$1.72 ฿57.0

87.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.81 $8.81

$2.27 ฿75.1

288.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$10.08 $10.08

$2.13 ฿70.4

373.24%

Potato (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$1.47 ฿48.72

240.14%

Onion (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$1.42 ฿46.92

345.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.04 $12.04

$4.31 ฿142

179.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.66 $15.66

$18.60 ฿615

-15.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.80 ฿59.5

-6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$2.97 ฿98.0

-43.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.25 ฿74.2

-9.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.3 $51.3

$23.49 ฿776

118.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.19 $8.19

$3.10 ฿102

164.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.08 ฿35.56

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.10 $15.10

$3.87 ฿128

290.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.43 ฿47.16

-5.59%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K ฿918.0K

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.0K ฿891.5K

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$105 ฿3,462

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$29.88 $29.88

$11.39 ฿376

162.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.4 $59.4

$17.54 ฿580

238.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.6 $93.6

$54.3 ฿1,795

72.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$8.99 $8.99

$7.78 ฿257

15.55%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,190 $1,190

$576 ฿19.0K

106.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K $15.8K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

36.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,430 $2,430

$733 ฿24.2K

231.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,976 $1,976

$501 ฿16.5K

294.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,289 $5,289

$2,126 ฿70.2K

148.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,768 $4,768

$1,252 ฿41.4K

280.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,001 $2,001

$508 ฿16.8K

294.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

5.57

12.21%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lihue, HI: September 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,430 in Lihue, HI and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lihue, HI pays 294% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $111 in Lihue, HI vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $523 vs $275 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lihue, HI vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 156% lower than in Lihue, HI. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 294% higher in Lihue, HI, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,430 in Lihue, HI versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,241 per month in Lihue, HI versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 156% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 118% less than in Lihue, HI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $3,241 in Lihue, HI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Lihue, HI. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,265 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lihue, HI and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 156% less than in Lihue, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.